When I saw the headline in The Sun – the tabbiest of the British tabloids – I half dismissed it as nonsense and half looked out my window for four horsemen with a hell of a lot of attitude. Brits are flocking to the forests, it seems, thanks to a brutal drop in the British pound relative to the Euro. Camping is what they can afford.
This does seem like a just punishment for a nation that thought putting money in Icelandic savings accounts was a good idea.
According to a survey by travelsupermarket.com, more than 4.5 million Brits are going to be cracking out their tents this year. Apparently, however, camping has changed. Bob Atkinson from travelsupermarket.com says, “The humble holiday camp has come a long way since its invention in the 1950s. The entertainment has been updated to reflect today’s needs.” He cites examples such as indoor water parks and spa activities.
For a change, youth is not wasted on the young. Several travelers from this demographic are skipping the campsites and heading out for Spain. For younger British travelers, trips to this country are up – despite being down 23.4 percent for Brits as a whole.